Order of Skeptics
Skeptics are born from strict materialists, people who simply cannot believe in the unseen and insubstantial, even after a mind-altering experience with 'Existence' that leaves them possessed of strange and bizarre powers. Because they are so tied to the material plane they are masters of the Elemental arts. Aspect of God: Material God. AKA: The Materialists, Material Order. Skeptic Degrees Facts: -Skeptics are strict materialists and do not believe in the insubstantial. They believe that even GOD can, ultimately, be explained using entirely materialistic explanations. -Skeptics possess elemental powers: air, water, fire, rock, earth, whatever... they are able to manipulate these elements and reform them into tools and weapons. -Skeptics are highly invested in the intellectual community, especially the sciences. Scientists and intellectuals can be found in spades within the ranks of this Order. -Doubt largely defines the lives of Skeptics, they pride themselves on being the skeptical types who look past the obvious to see what is really there. They aren't usually the kind of people you find getting caught up in the fickle movements of the crowd mind. -Skeptics are usually the sticks-in-the-mud in any Squad, constantly challenging the other Adepts to reconsider their opinions and beliefs. They are often the voice of trepidation in any organization they join. -The Apple, the forbidden fruit in the book of Genesis, is often used by the Skeptics as a symbol for their Order and way of life. -Skeptics have an appreciation for the talent and abilities of the Order of Prodigy. -Atheists, Agnostics, Deists, these are the people who regularly get inducted into the Order of Skeptics. -St. Thomas is associated with the Order of Skeptics. He serves as a pop symbol for the Order. -Skeptics are adamant that only empirically-tested data is knowledge, and only empirical knowledge can be trusted. -Many Skeptics are perfectly fine with the idea of there not being an afterlife. -Skeptics champion the arts and sciences and they oppose any attempt to curtail either in the name of censorship. Skeptics often recruit the most from the academic types, so expect to find a cell of Skeptics in every college or university (especially if it's a private school). Supernaturals Who Don't Believe In The Supernatural?: It may seem odd and counter intuitive, but Skeptics really believe that the supernatural has a 'perfectly reasonable explanation.' After all, spirits, ghosts and angels may all be explained as 'energy-based lifeforms whose origins and biology are largely unknown.' Magick is explained away as psychic powers, material processes of the mind. As for the Veil, Quantum Physics explains that particles may or may not pop out of existence, often with little predictability. The Skeptics believe that the Veil may actually be a sort of 'energy bubble' that exists attached to our physical reality, a world of strange energy particles that exists symbiotically with out own (see the Aether for more). Ergo, the explanation for the supernatural is quite clear cut. What most call supernatural is in fact phenomena resulting from our universe's interaction with a second one, one composed of strange quantum energies that manifest in an odd but predictable fashion, hence why things like magick and spirits are possible. Stalwart Rationalists or Intellectual Bullies?: Skeptics aren't always so easy to be around. They tend to develop condescending attitudes, usually due to their constant berating other Supernaturals for their beliefs, and they've been charged with sophistry more than once. Skeptics consider themselves the guardians of rationality and they try to share that capacity with others. That they come across as intellectual bullies, so they say, is due to their efforts to free others from their dependence on the assumed and un-provable. Militant Atheists: The growing Tribe of Militant Atheists, or New Atheists, is lending itself perfectly to the Order. They believe that religious abuses must be corrected for the good of society and that the philosophies of atheism and agnosticism are just what society needs for a better future. -http://www.ted.com/talks/richard_dawkins_on_militant_atheism -http://atheism.about.com/od/Atheist-Dictionary/g/Definition-Militant-Atheist.htm -http://www.conservapedia.com/Militant_atheism Factions: -Cult Hunters = These Skeptics seek out religious or political movements that are exhibiting cult-like behavior. They will often be called in to rescue people who have fallen prey to the cult's message, or they may take up cause against the cult of their own initiative. -Knights of the Sun = Skeptics who work as Freelancers. -Watchdogs = These Skeptics keep an eye on other groups and on current religious and political trends. They offer criticism and rationality when they feel things are getting out of hand. References: -http://www.supermanhomepage.com/news.php -https://www.pinterest.com/benjaminstyles7/ -http://www.skeptic.com/magazine/ -http://atheists.org/ -http://www.religioustolerance.org/atheist.htm -https://atheistsunited.org/ -https://richarddawkins.net/ Category:Elemental